Ambulances will need extra time to get around in the snow

With the forecast calling for heavy snow, Medshore Ambulance Service is expecting emergency medical calls to take twice as long as usual on Wednesday.

“It does change our workflow patterns, that is for sure,” Medshore chief executive officer Greg Shore said. “We need to slow down and be a bit more careful because we don’t see this kind of weather often.”

The company has 146 employees in Anderson County, many of whom will be on duty Wednesday, Shore said.

“Safety, safety, safety is what we preach to our employees when the weather deteriorates,” he said.

Medshore will have a fleet of 15 ambulances and four quick-response vehicles ready to respond to calls, Shore said.

Studded snow tires were placed on those vehicles Tuesday, he said, in anticipation of the several inches of snow that is expected throughout Anderson County. Shore said Medshore has tried using tire chains to navigate snowy roads in the past but the chains tended to cause vehicle damage.

Medshore typically responds to about 70 calls per day in Anderson County but Shore is predicting a higher number on Wednesday.

The company’s quick-response vehicles will be used as the call volume increases, Shore said. The personnel in these vehicles can respond to calls and assess whether an ambulance is needed. If patients are not in acute distress, he said, they can be transported in the quick-response vehicles to medical facilities.

Two of Medshore’s quick-response vehicles are equipped with winches, Shore said, which can come in handy if any ambulances get stuck in the snow.

The only extra gear that the company’s ambulances will be stocked with Wednesday are plenty of blankets, Shore said.